THE NEXT DAY – SCHOOL
The morning light filtered through the blinds of Takuma’s room as his alarm clock blared, forcing him awake. He groaned, hitting the snooze button before swinging his legs off the bed and standing up. His body ached slightly from the amusement park rides, but it was a good kind of exhaustion, the kind that reminded him of the fun he’d had. His phone buzzed on his desk, a new message from Miu.
"Good morning, sleepyhead! Ready to survive another day?"
He smiled softly at the message, a little surprised at how quickly she was becoming a part of his routine. Takuma quickly replied with a simple:
"Morning. Yeah, I think I’m ready. You?"
A few seconds later, she responded:
"I’m already at school. You better catch up! See you there."
He chuckled, shaking his head as he got dressed and made his way to school, his thoughts lingering on Miu.
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AT SCHOOL
By the time Takuma entered the school grounds, Miu was already waiting by the gates with a smile on her face, as usual. Her energy was infectious, and it was one of the things that always seemed to put him at ease, even if he didn’t show it much.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked as soon as he approached.
Takuma nodded. "Yeah, not bad. A little sore from yesterday, though."
Miu raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk on her face. "Sore? I didn’t take you for someone who’d be wimping out from a few roller coasters."
"Hey, those rides were intense. I wasn’t prepared for the G-force on that last one," he teased back, nudging her lightly.
Miu let out a laugh, and they continued walking toward the school building. Takuma couldn’t help but notice how natural it felt to be with her. The last time he’d felt this way was when he was much younger, before everything went wrong.
As they made their way to their classroom, Takuma noticed the usual group of students talking by the door. His class had always been divided into cliques, but recently, he couldn’t help but feel the subtle shift in the atmosphere. The few people who had once avoided him seemed more... willing to engage. It was small, almost imperceptible, but it was there.
Takuma’s thoughts were interrupted by Miu’s voice.
"So, what’s your plan for today? You’ve been really quiet."
He glanced at her, noting the curious glint in her eyes. "Just the usual. Maybe some studying. You?"
Miu grinned. "I’m probably going to get through a chapter of my manga, then we can grab lunch together, of course."
Takuma nodded, not feeling the need to reply. Lunch with her had become something he actually looked forward to. She had this ability to make even the most ordinary days feel significant, and he wasn’t used to that.
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LUNCHTIME
The lunch bell rang, and Takuma and Miu walked out of the classroom, heading toward the courtyard. It was a routine they’d quickly fallen into, and Takuma couldn’t deny that it felt... comfortable.
As they sat on the bench with their lunchboxes, Takuma noticed a familiar face approaching. It was Sam, looking as cheerful as ever. He waved and joined them without any hesitation, plopping down beside Takuma with a dramatic sigh.
"Man, you two really are getting along, huh?" Sam teased, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Takuma shot him a sideways glance. "What do you mean?"
Sam’s grin widened. "Come on, Takuma. I’ve seen how you two are with each other. It’s a different vibe compared to last year."
Miu blushed slightly but quickly recovered. "Stop being ridiculous, Sam. We’re just friends."
Takuma didn’t respond, choosing instead to focus on his food. He hadn’t realized how much he’d changed until Sam pointed it out. He used to keep his distance from everyone, but Miu had managed to break through those walls without even trying.
"I think it’s great," Sam said, digging into his lunch. "You two make a good team."
The conversation moved on, but Takuma couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted within him. Sam’s words echoed in his mind as he chewed slowly. A good team. The phrase felt oddly significant. They’d only known each other for a short time, but it felt... right. Like they were already in sync.
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AFTER SCHOOL – A CONVERSATION WITH TAKUMA’S MOM
As the school bell rang signaling the end of the day, Takuma made his way home. He was used to walking alone, but today, he felt a strange sense of anticipation. The events from the past few days, from the theme park to the ride home with Miu, had left him thinking more than usual about his future.
When Takuma stepped inside, he was greeted by the familiar sound of his mom humming in the kitchen. He set his bag down and walked into the kitchen, finding her busy preparing dinner.
"Hey, Mom," he greeted her, taking a seat at the table.
"Ah, Takuma. How was school today?" she asked, not even looking up from her chopping board.
"It was fine," he replied, his tone casual. "Just the usual."
His mom stopped for a moment, then glanced at him, her eyes narrowing with a knowing expression. "Just the usual, huh? You’ve been quieter than usual lately. What’s on your mind?"
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Takuma shifted in his seat, unsure of how to respond. He’d been keeping a lot of his thoughts to himself lately, but now that his mom had asked, it felt like it was time to open up a little.
"I don’t know," he started, rubbing the back of his neck. "I’ve been thinking a lot about... things. The future, I guess."
His mom raised an eyebrow. "The future, huh? What’s going on with you?"
Takuma hesitated, then said, "I think I might want to do something different after high school. Maybe not the path everyone expects me to take." He couldn’t bring himself to say it outright. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do yet, but he knew it wouldn’t involve just keeping to himself anymore.
His mom set down the knife she was holding, and for the first time in a long while, she smiled at him. "Well, whatever you decide to do, Takuma, I’ll support you. Just don’t keep it all bottled up, okay?"
Takuma met her gaze, nodding silently. He didn’t say anything more, but something in his chest lightened. Maybe things didn’t have to stay the way they always had. Maybe, just maybe, he could carve out a new path for himself—one where he wasn’t hiding behind walls.
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BACK TO MIU’S THOUGHTS – THAT NIGHT
Later that evening, Miu sat in her room, replaying the day in her head. She had been unusually quiet on the way home, but the more she thought about it, the more it seemed that something had shifted between her and Takuma. There were subtle changes in the way he acted around her, but it was more than that. It was the way he looked at her sometimes—like there was something deeper he was trying to understand about himself.
Sighing, Miu grabbed her phone and opened the message thread between them. She reread their exchange from earlier, smiling to herself. The way Takuma had been teasing her, the way he laughed at the little things... It all felt so natural.
With a deep breath, Miu typed out a message:
"Thanks for today, Takuma. It was... nice."
She hit send and then immediately regretted it. It wasn’t much, but it was the truth.
THE NEXT MORNING - UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER
The following day, Takuma walked to school with his usual quiet demeanor, his thoughts drifting between the events of the past few days. His phone buzzed in his pocket, interrupting his thoughts. It was a message from Miu.
"Good morning, Takuma! You ready to face the day?"
Takuma smiled at the message, the warmth from the previous night still lingering in his chest. It had been a while since he felt this... seen by someone. He quickly typed back:
"Morning. Yeah, I’m ready. You?"
Miu replied almost instantly. "Always ready! Meet you at the gates!"
As Takuma approached the school gates, he spotted Miu standing there, as expected. There was a bounce to her step, and she was grinning like always. Takuma couldn't help but smile in return. Despite all the darkness he'd carried for so long, moments like these—small and ordinary—felt significant. He didn’t know why, but they did.
"Hey," Takuma greeted as he walked up to her.
"Hey! Ready for today?" she asked enthusiastically, tilting her head.
"Yeah, I guess," Takuma replied, trying to match her energy.
"Don’t look so uncertain!" Miu teased, nudging him lightly. "We’re going to survive this day like champs! You’ll see."
Takuma chuckled softly. "I don’t know about that. But I’ll try."
As they entered the school building together, Takuma felt a strange sense of calm. It was almost like he could deal with whatever the day threw at him, just by having Miu by his side. He hadn’t let anyone close like this in years. Maybe that’s why the school wasn’t so overwhelming lately.
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IN CLASS
The classroom felt unusually quiet as Takuma sat down at his desk, his mind still wandering from the previous conversation with Miu. When the bell rang, signaling the start of the lesson, Takuma’s attention snapped to the front of the room.
The teacher, a middle-aged man with a gruff voice, began discussing the upcoming class project. "Alright, everyone," he said, his tone serious, "You’ll be working in pairs for this project, and I expect creativity and hard work. This isn’t a simple report—you’ll need to put effort into this."
Takuma glanced around the room, his gaze landing on Miu. She caught his eye and raised an eyebrow, as if to ask, "Want to team up?"
Takuma nodded slightly, not wanting to draw attention but also hoping it was obvious enough that they were partners. It had become their usual dynamic—working together without the need for words.
The teacher began assigning pairs, and Takuma was relieved when Miu’s name was called with his. It felt natural, like they were already a team in everything but name.
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LUNCHTIME – THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Lunchtime came quickly, and Takuma found himself walking alongside Miu to their usual spot on the school grounds. It had become their unspoken routine to grab food and chat in peace, away from the chaos of the cafeteria.
"Did you finish the assignment?" Miu asked, holding her bento box as she sat down.
Takuma sat beside her, unzipping his bag and pulling out his own lunch. "Yeah, I’m almost done. Just need to figure out a few details. But it’s not too bad."
"Yeah, I think we got it pretty easy, honestly. This project doesn’t seem too complicated. Unlike last time," Miu said with a grin.
Takuma nodded. "Right. The last one was a nightmare."
They both laughed at the memory of the chaotic group project where their classmates had nearly driven them insane with their lack of cooperation. It had been one of those moments that really made Takuma realize how much he’d come to rely on Miu to stay grounded.
"Hey," Takuma began, taking a bite of his lunch, "Have you thought about what you want to do after graduation?"
Miu paused, her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. She hadn’t expected him to bring it up, and for a moment, her expression shifted into something more serious.
"I don’t really know yet," she replied, setting her chopsticks down and looking out at the schoolyard. "I’m still figuring it out. I want to go to a good college, but... I’m not sure what for, exactly. I just want to do something that makes me happy, I guess."
Takuma thought about that for a moment. "Happy." The word stuck with him. He hadn’t thought about happiness in a long time. His life had always been about survival, not joy.
"What about you?" Miu asked, turning to look at him. Her voice was soft but earnest.
Takuma shifted in his seat, glancing at his hands. "I don’t really know either. I’ve been thinking about maybe traveling or learning martial arts more seriously. There’s a lot I want to do, but…"
"But you don’t know where to start?" Miu finished for him.
Takuma nodded, meeting her gaze. "Yeah."
For a few seconds, there was a quiet pause between them. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was an unspoken moment where both of them were sharing something they usually kept hidden.
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AFTER SCHOOL – A TWIST
The school bell rang, signaling the end of the day. Takuma grabbed his bag and stood up, ready to head home. But as he walked to the gate, he noticed something strange. Miu was nowhere to be seen.
He pulled out his phone and shot her a quick message. "Where are you?"
A few seconds passed before she replied. "Hey, sorry! Something came up. I’ll meet you at the park later?"
Takuma frowned slightly, but he didn’t press the issue. "Alright. Take care."
With nothing else to do, he walked home alone. His mind wandered back to the conversation about the future. What would Miu do after graduation? What would he do? The uncertainty of it all felt unsettling, yet liberating at the same time.
When Takuma arrived home, he threw his bag onto the couch and headed to the kitchen, hoping to settle his mind with something familiar. As he opened the fridge, a thought crossed his mind. Maybe it’s time to stop waiting for things to happen and start making them happen.
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